Get Involved

Living on campus is more about having a place to rest your head; living on campus is about life! There is always something going on within the residence halls at UNM, and we hope you can find a variety of activities that you'll enjoy. You can get involved in hall government, leadership organizations, and sustainability organizations, by just taking a few steps outside your room door.

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) represents the interests and concerns of all students living on campus. Along with promoting fun, educational, and cultural programs for you, the RHA also has representatives on several other committees across campus.

Activities sponsored by the RHA the last few semesters included dances, the annual Olympiad, hall-wide Study Day, and Penny Wars. The Fall semester usually begins with Res-Hall-A-Daze, a week of activities designed to familiarize new residents with the campus and the residence hall experience.

If you live on campus, then you're already a member of RHA! You have the opportunity to voice opinions and initiate activities to improve your living environment. Throughout the year, you are eligible to run for positions within RHA. To learn more go to rha.unm.edu. Running for representative positions happens at the beginning of the fall semester. All executive board positions are filled late each spring for the following year. Meetings are held Monday nights at 7 pm.

RHA hosts a variety of programs throughout the year where you can build friendships, have fun, and learn a thing or two. To find out what is going on this week, check out the Calendar of Events, or like us on Facebook!

What is NRHH?

The National Residence Hall Honorary is a student leadership organization that works to recognize people for their contributions to our communities, as well as provide opportunities for students to gain leadership and service experience. The National Residence Hall Honorary is representative of the top 1% of student leaders in residence life. NRHH was established by the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) in order to recognize outstanding efforts of residents across the nation. Being involved with the University of New Mexico's Cherry & Silver Chapter is a great way to make a big impact on the greater campus community and network with students across the country.

The Four Pillars

Our organization is based on the four pillars of leadership, service, recognition, and scholarship.

Leadership

NRHH provides students with opportunities to strengthen leadership skills, gain valuable experience and connect with student leaders at universities across the world. Students will be able to attend regional and national leadership conferences through NRHH and RHA. Combined, our 24 members represent over 75 different organizations across campus and the community.

Service

Volunteer your time in the Albuquerque community! Last year, we hosted a dance to raise money for a local charity. We trick-or-treated to collect money for UNICEF, and we participated in Relay for Life and Spring Storm. Together, we accomplished over 300 hours of volunteer service. We offer a variety of service events each semester for residents all over campus!

Recognition

NRHH recognizes student leaders through the “Of The Month” (OTM) program. Each month, residents all over campus write OTMs for deserving individuals and groups on campus in numerous categories. To nominate someone for an OTM award, visit www.nrhh.org. OTMs are our way of showing appreciation to the people who make living on campus a great experience for everyone.

Scholarship

As the top 1% of leaders on campus, the National Residence Hall Honorary requires that members maintain a minimum 2.5/4.0 GPA. We offer opportunities for personal and academic growth and development through interaction with faculty and educational programs.

Join us!

Interested in being involved with NRHH? In order to be a member of NRHH, you must be a student who has lived on campus for at least one semester and plans to reside in Campus Housing for the next two semesters. Our members are also required to have and maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5/4.0 scale. New members are inducted into the Cherry & Silver twice a year, in the fall and spring semesters. If interested, please contact the NRHH advisors or the executive board members.

Want to find out more?

In support of the University of New Mexico, Residence Life and Student Housing seeks to provide residents with ways to "live green." The RLSH department alone has saved over 400 lbs of paper in the last year through increased sustainability efforts. You too can contribute to an ecofriendly environment by doing the following:

Conserve electricity: Turn off TV's, stereos, computers and lights when not in use or when you leave your room. This also will help keep Residence Hall rates down by saving on utility bills.

Conserve heat and air conditioning: Close your windows if you have the AC or heat on.

Recycle: If you live in the traditional halls or suites, you can recycle in the trash rooms located in the basements or trash buildings for your hall. You can recycle plastic, glass, aluminum, tin, paper and cardboard. Recycling in the apartments is still in the works, but there are bins located around your complexes for your use.

Cut back on waste: In La Posada, don’t dish up food you won’t eat. If you want a smaller serving, or just to sample something, ask for a side bowl instead of a whole plate. All that food heading to the dish room not only wastes resources, but also becomes trash!

Each complex (Hokona, Santa Clara/Laguna/DeVargas, Student Residence Center, Alvarado, Coronado, and Redondo Village) has its own independent Community Association that's easy for you to join. Every Community Association meets regularly to discuss and address student concerns, fund hall projects, and better their living environment. Community Associations are funded via the student activity fee included with your Housing Contract rates.

Hall Community Association projects have included:

Constructing the sandpit volleyball courts

Placing barbecue grills

Organizing the annual Res Hall ice skating & broom ball party

Candlelight dinners

Annual Haunted House

Philanthropic projects

Purchasing hall equipment such as games and TVs

Organizing educational programs on current student concerns

Information on when and where the Community Association meets is available from your RA or Community Director.

Community Associations also have leadership opportunities available.

Your Community Association is one of the best ways to get involved in the UNM Residence Life community. For information about the Community Association in your hall or complex, check your community's webpage, ask your RA or your Community Director.

Take a break from studying and come enjoy some fun and games in the Hokona Cellar! Open to all UNM residents with a valid UNM ID, The Cellar you can enjoy free games including pool, ping pong, foosball, and board games. Special events are always in the works in the Cellar so follow our Facebook page to find out more about events including watch parties, movie nights, sports, and more! The Cellar is open 7 days a week, Sunday-Thursday, 7 pm to 11 pm and Friday-Saturday, 7 pm to Midnight.